Flirt with making the playoffs?
Seeing Tracy McGrady recover and keep his name on the map?

Thank you for making a thread. This forum was DEAD lol. We have had talks about this, but we never really had a thread about it. I think the Rockets can make the playoffs. We will have to play with a fast tempo since we don't have any 7 footers. I believe we can play well like how we did against the Lakers without Yao and McGrady. (Mutombo as well.)

For McGrady, I think this is his last chance to do something. If he goes out with another injury, or doesn't do as well as planned, I don't think he'll be back next year. I would hate to see him go because I know what he brings, but thats what its looking like right now.

Again as I have stated before it really depends on what they get from who but knowing the players that have been there and assuming their meantality rubs off on those around them I believe they can make the playoffs. They need to keep T-Mac sidelined until he is completely ready though. This season he's gonna have to trust that his teammates can get it done.

With such a small team they are going to have to get out and run because their weakness is in the half court set. I actually think the defense will suffer less than a lot of people expect simply because one characteristic of most the players is determination on that side of the ball. Playing Chuck Hayes at center though many people scoff, actually means having their best healthy post defender on opposing bigs. He'll take the fouls and body around allowing Louis Scola and Carl Landry to focus on the offensive end where they will be sorely needed. But clearly they only have a few offensive weapons and none that can really create for themselves at will.

Plainly put they need to keep game's to the 95-90 type score lines because anything above that seems hard for them to do this year.

However given that a lot of young guys both new and old will see a lot of playing time so when the team is healthy again they will have been greatly improved.

Could squeeze into the playoffs depending on how McGrady comes back, how Ariza plays and if we can play decent defense. We are very small and rebounding could be a problem, I hope we can make the playoffs though, it would something for a season that right now seems pointless. Hopefully Brooks develops a bit more on his passing skills.

Can't say I'm too excited for this season though, I'm curious how McGrady will look and how Scola will play being the main post presence but that's about it.

Hayes was never meant to be a scorer, he's a defensive specialist and as strong as an ox. Heck even at 6'6 he effectively stops players like Gasol, Bynum and Garnett when they try to back him down.

But he has zero offensive output.

how can i guy that cant do anything better than me on the offensive end, help a team that showed last night that they will have to be creative in scoring throughout the season.

put hayes on the bench where he belongs. Sure he got 3 steals last night, but the rockets really need to have the threat of all five positions scoring this year. That seemed pretty clear to me after watching just one game. Hayes is a perfect guy to be a third string option to use up fouls against bigs. thats about it.